The present disclosure relates generally to an implantable stimulation system for stimulating and monitoring soft tissue in a patient, and more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of automatically initiating and adjusting therapeutic treatment of sleep apneas.
Sleep apnea generally refers to the cessation of breathing during sleep. One type of sleep apnea, referred to as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep due to the obstruction and/or collapse of the upper airway, and is usually accompanied by a reduction in blood oxygenation saturation.
One treatment for sleep disordered breathing behavior, such as obstructive sleep apneas and hypopneas, has included the delivery of electrical stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, located in the neck region under the chin. Such stimulation therapy activates the upper airway muscles to maintain upper airway patency. In treatment of sleep apnea, increased respiratory effort resulting from the difficulty in breathing through an obstructed airway is avoided by synchronized stimulation of an upper airway muscle or muscle group that holds the airway open during the inspiratory phase of breathing. For example, the genioglossus muscle is stimulated during treatment of sleep apnea by a nerve electrode cuff placed around the hypoglossal nerve.